Display device and support film structure for display device

ABSTRACT

A display device includes a display panel, a support film, and a polymer layer. The display panel includes a display area comprising a first area that is bendable, and a non-display area adjacent to the display area. The support film is coupled to a bottom surface of the display panel. The support film includes a first groove overlapping with the first area. The polymer layer is disposed in the first groove. The polymer layer includes a material with higher flexibility than the support film. Angles formed by a top surface of the support film and inner sides of the support film defining the first groove are acute angles.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from and the benefit of Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2018-0051059, filed May 3, 2018, and Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2019-0027870, filed Mar. 12, 2019, each of which ishereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forthherein.

BACKGROUND Field

Exemplary embodiments generally relate to a display device and a supportfilm structure for a display device.

Discussion

Display devices are devices capable of displaying image signals.Examples of display devices include nearly all types of devicesdisplaying image signals input from, for instance, an external source,such as a television (TV), a computer monitor, a personal digitalassistant (PDA), a smart device, etc. High-quality flat panel displaymodules, such as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel, aliquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a plasma display panel (PDP), anelectrophoretic display panel, and the like, may be used in displaydevices. Flexible display devices that are bendable, foldable, rollable,etc., can be fabricated as thin, light-weight display devices, and canimprove portability. Flexible display devices can be realized usingflexible substrates formed of, for example, a plastic material. Theplastic material may be utilized instead of glass substrates.

The above information disclosed in this section is only forunderstanding the background of the inventive concepts, and, therefore,may contain information that does not form prior art.

SUMMARY

Some exemplary embodiments are capable of providing a bendable orfoldable display device.

Some exemplary embodiments provide a support film structure for adisplay device. The support film structure is capable of being appliedto a bendable or foldable display device.

Additional aspects will be set forth in the detailed description whichfollows, and, in part, will be apparent from the disclosure, or may belearned by practice of the inventive concepts.

According to some exemplary embodiments, a display device includes adisplay panel, a support film, and a polymer layer. The display panelincludes a display area comprising a first area that is bendable, and anon-display area adjacent to the display area. The support film iscoupled to a bottom surface of the display panel. The support filmincludes a first groove overlapping with the first area. The polymerlayer is disposed in the first groove. The polymer layer includes amaterial with higher flexibility than the support film. Angles formed bya top surface of the support film and inner sides of the support filmdefining the first groove are acute angles.

According to some exemplary embodiments, a display device includes afirst area that extends in a first direction, the first area beingbendable; and a non-display area adjacent to the display area. Thepolymer layer is disposed below the display panel, is coupled to thedisplay panel, and overlaps with the first area. The support film isdisposed below the display panel and is coupled to the display panel.The support film includes first and second film portions that are spacedapart from each other in a second direction with the polymer layerinterposed therebetween. The second direction intersects the firstdirection. A width, in the second direction, of the polymer layergradually increases with increasing distance from the display panelalong a thickness direction crossing the first and second directions.

According to some exemplary embodiments, a support film structure for adisplay device includes a support film and a polymer layer. The supportfilm includes a first groove extending in a first direction, and asecond groove extending in the first direction and spaced apart from thefirst groove in a second direction crossing the first direction. Thepolymer layer is disposed in the first groove. The polymer layerincludes a material with higher flexibility than the support film. Thepolymer layer includes a portion having a variable width along athickness direction crossing the first and second directions.

Other features and exemplary embodiments may be apparent from thefollowing detailed description, the drawings, and the claims.

The foregoing general description and the following detailed descriptionare exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide furtherexplanation of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the inventive concepts, and are incorporated in andconstitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplaryembodiments of the inventive concepts, and, together with thedescription, serve to explain principles of the inventive concepts.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display device according to someexemplary embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the display device of FIG. 1 according to someexemplary embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the display device of FIG. 1 according to someexemplary embodiments.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged rear view of a portion P of FIG. 3 according tosome exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along sectional line X1-X1′ ofFIG. 2 according to some exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion Q1 of FIG. 5according to some exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a pixel structure of a displaypanel of the display device of FIG. 1 according to some exemplaryembodiments.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a portion Q3 of FIG. 5 according to someexemplary embodiments.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion Q3 of FIG. 5according to some exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion Q5 of FIG. 5according to some exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the display device of FIG. 5 in astate of being bent, particularly, in a non-display area according tosome exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the display device of FIG. 5 in astate of being bent, particularly, in a display area and the non-displayarea according to some exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the display device of FIG. 5 in astate of being bent, particularly, in the display area and thenon-display area according to some exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 14A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of a displaydevice according to another exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure corresponding to the portion Q3 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 14B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the displaydevice of FIG. 14 corresponding to the portion Q5 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 15A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a modified example ofFIG. 14A;

FIG. 15B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a modified example ofFIG. 14B;

FIG. 15C is an enlarged cross-sectional view of another modified exampleof FIG. 14A;

FIG. 15D is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a modified example ofFIG. 14B;

FIG. 15E is an enlarged cross-sectional view of another modified exampleof FIG. 14A;

FIG. 15F is an enlarged cross-sectional view of another modified exampleof FIG. 14B;

FIGS. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 are enlarged cross-sectional views ofportions of display devices corresponding to the portion Q3 of FIG. 5according to some exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a mother board for a display deviceaccording to some exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 23 is a rear view of the mother board of FIG. 22 according to someexemplary embodiments.

FIGS. 24, 25, 26, and 27 are cross-sectional views taken along sectionalline X3-X3′ of FIG. 23 and illustrate a display device at various stagesof manufacture according to some exemplary embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of various exemplary embodiments. It is apparent, however,that various exemplary embodiments may be practiced without thesespecific details or with one or more equivalent arrangements. In otherinstances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagramform in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring various exemplaryembodiments. Further, various exemplary embodiments may be different,but do not have to be exclusive. For example, specific shapes,configurations, and characteristics of an exemplary embodiment may beused or implemented in another exemplary embodiment without departingfrom the inventive concepts.

Unless otherwise specified, the illustrated exemplary embodiments are tobe understood as providing exemplary features of varying detail of someexemplary embodiments. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, thefeatures, components, modules, layers, films, panels, regions, aspects,etc. (hereinafter individually or collectively referred to as an“element” or “elements”), of the various illustrations may be otherwisecombined, separated, interchanged, and/or rearranged without departingfrom the inventive concepts.

The use of cross-hatching and/or shading in the accompanying drawings isgenerally provided to clarify boundaries between adjacent elements. Assuch, neither the presence nor the absence of cross-hatching or shadingconveys or indicates any preference or requirement for particularmaterials, material properties, dimensions, proportions, commonalitiesbetween illustrated elements, and/or any other characteristic,attribute, property, etc., of the elements, unless specified. Further,in the accompanying drawings, the size and relative sizes of elementsmay be exaggerated for clarity and/or descriptive purposes. As such, thesizes and relative sizes of the respective elements are not necessarilylimited to the sizes and relative sizes shown in the drawings. When anexemplary embodiment may be implemented differently, a specific processorder may be performed differently from the described order. Forexample, two consecutively described processes may be performedsubstantially at the same time or performed in an order opposite to thedescribed order. Also, like reference numerals denote like elements.

When an element is referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” or“coupled to” another element, it may be directly on, connected to, orcoupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present.When, however, an element is referred to as being “directly on,”“directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element, thereare no intervening elements present. Other terms and/or phrases used todescribe a relationship between elements should be interpreted in a likefashion, e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus“directly adjacent,” “on” versus “directly on,” etc. Further, the term“connected” may refer to physical, electrical, and/or fluid connection.In addition, the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis are not limited tothree axes of a rectangular coordinate system, and may be interpreted ina broader sense. For example, the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis maybe perpendicular to one another, or may represent different directionsthat are not perpendicular to one another. For the purposes of thisdisclosure, “at least one of X, Y, and Z” and “at least one selectedfrom the group consisting of X, Y, and Z” may be construed as X only, Yonly, Z only, or any combination of two or more of X, Y, and Z, such as,for instance, XYZ, XYY, YZ, and ZZ. As used herein, the term “and/or”includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associatedlisted items.

Although the terms “first,” “second,” etc. may be used herein todescribe various elements, these elements should not be limited by theseterms. These terms are used to distinguish one element from anotherelement. Thus, a first element discussed below could be termed a secondelement without departing from the teachings of the disclosure.

Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “under,” “lower,”“above,” “upper,” “over,” “higher,” “side” (e.g., as in “sidewall”), andthe like, may be used herein for descriptive purposes, and, thereby, todescribe one element's relationship to another element(s) as illustratedin the drawings. Spatially relative terms are intended to encompassdifferent orientations of an apparatus in use, operation, and/ormanufacture in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings. Forexample, if the apparatus in the drawings is turned over, elementsdescribed as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would thenbe oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplaryterm “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below.Furthermore, the apparatus may be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90degrees or at other orientations), and, as such, the spatially relativedescriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, thesingular forms, “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the pluralforms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Moreover,the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including,”when used in this specification, specify the presence of statedfeatures, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/orgroups thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one ormore other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components,and/or groups thereof. It is also noted that, as used herein, the terms“substantially,” “about,” and other similar terms, are used as terms ofapproximation and not as terms of degree, and, as such, are utilized toaccount for inherent deviations in measured, calculated, and/or providedvalues that would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art.

Various exemplary embodiments are described herein with reference tosectional and/or exploded illustrations that are schematic illustrationsof idealized exemplary embodiments and/or intermediate structures. Assuch, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, forexample, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to beexpected. Thus, exemplary embodiments disclosed herein should not beconstrued as limited to the particular illustrated shapes of regions,but are to include deviations in shapes that result from, for instance,manufacturing. In this manner, regions illustrated in the drawings maybe schematic in nature and shapes of these regions may not reflect theactual shapes of regions of a device, and, as such, are not intended tobe limiting.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure is a part. Terms,such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should beinterpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning inthe context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in anidealized or overly formal sense, unless expressly so defined herein.

As customary in the field, some exemplary embodiments are described andillustrated in the accompanying drawings in terms of functional blocks,units, and/or modules. Those skilled in the art will appreciate thatthese blocks, units, and/or modules are physically implemented byelectronic (or optical) circuits, such as logic circuits, discretecomponents, microprocessors, hard-wired circuits, memory elements,wiring connections, and the like, which may be formed usingsemiconductor-based fabrication techniques or other manufacturingtechnologies. In the case of the blocks, units, and/or modules beingimplemented by microprocessors or other similar hardware, they may beprogrammed and controlled using software (e.g., microcode) to performvarious functions discussed herein and may optionally be driven byfirmware and/or software. It is also contemplated that each block, unit,and/or module may be implemented by dedicated hardware, or as acombination of dedicated hardware to perform some functions and aprocessor (e.g., one or more programmed microprocessors and associatedcircuitry) to perform other functions. Also, each block, unit, and/ormodule of some exemplary embodiments may be physically separated intotwo or more interacting and discrete blocks, units, and/or moduleswithout departing from the inventive concepts. Further, the blocks,units, and/or modules of some exemplary embodiments may be physicallycombined into more complex blocks, units, and/or modules withoutdeparting from the inventive concepts.

Exemplary embodiments will, hereinafter, be described with reference tothe accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display device according to someexemplary embodiments. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the display device ofFIG. 1 according to some exemplary embodiments. FIG. 3 is a rear view ofthe display device of FIG. 1 according to some exemplary embodiments. Itis noted that the rear view of FIG. 3 depicts the display device in astate prior to being bent or folded. FIG. 4 is an enlarged rear view ofa portion P of FIG. 3 according to some exemplary embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, a display device 1 may be applied to,for example, a mobile terminal. Examples of the mobile terminal includea tablet personal computer (PC), a smartphone, a personal digitalassistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), a game console, awristwatch-type electronic device, and the like. However, the type ofthe mobile terminal to which the display device 1 is applicable is notparticularly limited. In some exemplary embodiments, the display device1 may be used not only in a large-size electronic device, such as atelevision (TV), an external billboard, etc., but also in a mid- orsmall-size electronic device, such as a PC, a notebook computer, a carnavigation device, a camera, etc.

The display device 1 may have a rectangular shape in a plan view. Thedisplay device 1 may have two short sides extending in a first directionX and two long sides extending in a second direction Y. The cornerswhere the two long sides and the two short sides of the display device 1meet may be at a right angle or may be curved. The planar shape of thedisplay device 1 is not particular limited, and the display device 1 mayhave a circular shape or another shape in a plan view.

The display device 1 may include a display panel 100, a support film300, and a polymer layer 500. The display device 1 may further include aresin layer 400.

The display panel 100 may have a display area DA in which images aredisplayed and a non-display area NDA in which no images are displayed.In some exemplary embodiments, the non-display area NDA may be disposedadjacent to the display area DA, e.g., outside the display area DA.

The display panel 100 may have first and second areas A1 and A2 in whichthe display panel 100 is bendable or foldable.

In a plan view, the first area A1 may extend across the display area DAalong the first direction X. The display panel 100 can be folded or bentalong a first bending axis BX1, which extends in the first area A1 alongthe first direction X. The first area A1 may include a part of thedisplay area DA and a part of the non-display area NDA.

Similarly, the second area A2 may extend across the non-display area NDAalong the first direction X. In some exemplary embodiments, the secondarea A2 may be disposed in a part of the non-display area NDA adjacentto the display area DA, such as adjacent to the display area DA in thesecond direction Y. That is, the second area A2 may be located in thenon-display area NDA, e.g., between the display area DA and a part ofthe non-display area NDA to which a flexible printed circuit board (PCB)FPC is connected.

The second area A2 may be a part of the non-display area NDA and may bespaced apart from the display area DA. Referring to FIG. 2, a part ofthe non-display area NDA disposed below the display area DA may includea first non-display area NDA1, which is adjacent to the display area DA,and a second non-display area NDA2, which is more distant than the firstnon-display area NDA1 from the display area DA and to which the flexiblePCB FPC is connected. The second area A2 may be located between thefirst and second non-display areas NDA1 and NDA2. The display panel 100can be bent along a second bending axis BX2, which extends in the secondarea A2 along the first direction X.

In some exemplary embodiments, the display panel 100 may be a displaypanel including emissive elements. For example, the display panel 100may include organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), quantum dotlight-emitting diodes (LEDs), and/or inorganic material-basedmicro-LEDs. For convenience, it is assumed that the display panel 100includes OLEDs, and the elements of the display panel 100 will bedescribed later in further detail.

Unless specified otherwise, the terms “upper,” “top,” “top surface,” and“upward,” as used herein, refer to a display side of the display panel100, i.e., the side of the display panel 100 in a Z-axis direction, andthe terms “lower,” “bottom,” “bottom surface,” and “downward,” as usedherein, refer to the opposite side of the display panel 100 to thedisplay side, i.e., the side of the display panel 100 in the oppositedirection of the Z-axis direction.

The support film 300 may be disposed below the display panel 100. Insome exemplary embodiments, the support film 300 may be coupled to thebottom surface of the display panel 100. The support film 300 maysupport the display panel 100, which is flexible, and may protect thebottom surface of the display panel 100.

In some exemplary embodiments, the support film 300 may be formed of amore rigid material than a polymer layer 500 that will be describedlater. In some exemplary embodiments, the support film 300 may includeat least one of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC),and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). For example, the support film 300may include PET.

First and second grooves G1 and G2 may be defined in the support film300.

The first groove G1 may be formed to overlap with the first area A1 ofthe display panel 100 and may extend along the first direction X. Sincethe first groove G1 is defined in the support film 300 to overlap withthe first area A1, the display panel 100 can be bent or folded in thefirst area A1. Also, since the first area A1 includes a part of thedisplay area DA, the display device 1 can be implemented as a foldabledisplay device.

The second groove G2 may be formed to overlap with the second area A2 ofthe display panel 100 and may extend along the first direction X. Sincethe second groove G2 is defined in the support film 300 to overlap withthe second area A2, the display panel 100 can be bent in the second areaA2. The entire second area A2 is included in the non-display area DA.That is, the display panel 100 can be bent in a downward direction in apart of the non-display area NDA. Accordingly, the non-display area NDAas viewed from above the display device 1 can be reduced, and the bezelwidth of the display device 1 can also be reduced.

The support film 300 may include first and second film portions 310 and330, which are separated by the first groove G1, and a third filmportion 350, which is separated from the second film portion 330 by thesecond groove G2.

The first and second film portions 310 and 330 may overlap with thedisplay area DA of the display panel 100 and may partially overlap withthe non-display area NDA of the display panel 100. For instance, thesecond film portion 330 may overlap with the first non-display area NDA1of the non-display area NDA. The third film portion 350 may overlap withthe non-display area NDA of the display panel 100, but not with thedisplay area DA.

The resin layer 400 may be disposed between the support film 300 and thedisplay panel 100. The resin layer 400 may couple the display panel 100and the support film 300 together. That is, the support film 300 may becoupled to the display panel 100 via the resin layer 400.

The first and second grooves G1 and G2 may be further defined in theresin layer 400. Accordingly, a portion of the bottom surface of thedisplay panel 100 may be exposed through the first and second grooves G1and G2.

In some exemplary embodiments, the resin layer 400 may including atleast one of a urethane resin, an acrylic resin, and a silicone resin.For example, the resin layer 400 may be formed of an acrylic resin.

The first and second grooves G1 and G2 may be formed by laserprocessing. Thus, in some exemplary embodiments, such as illustrated inFIG. 4, the distance between first and second edges E1 and E2 of thefirst groove G1 may not be uniform. For example, the first and secondedges E1 and E2 of the first groove G1 may not necessarily fall onstraight lines extending along the first direction X, but may bepartially curved when viewed from the back of the display panel 100.Accordingly, the width, in the second direction Y, of a part of thebottom surface of the display panel 100 exposed through the first grooveG1 may not be uniform. For example, the bottom surface of the displaypanel 100 may include a portion having a first width W1 in the seconddirection Y and a portion having a second width W2 in the seconddirection Y. The second width W2 is different from the first width W1.

Although not specifically illustrated, the distance between the edges ofthe second groove G2, like the first and second edges E1 and E2 of thefirst groove G1, may not be uniform.

The polymer layer 500 may be disposed in the first groove G1, which isdefined in the support film 300 and the resin layer 400. The polymerlayer 500 may be formed of a more flexible material than the supportfilm 300. In some exemplary embodiments, the polymer layer 500 mayinclude at least one of polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyimide (PI),polyethylene sulfide (PES), polyamide (PA), and aramid. For example, thesupport film 300 may include PET, and the polymer layer 500 may includePI.

In a case where the display panel 100 is repeatedly bent or folded inthe first area A1, the first and second film portions 310 and 330 of thesupport film 300 may be peeled off of the display panel 100, and thedisplay panel 100 may remain bent because of being short (or lacking) ofa restoring force. However, since the polymer layer 500 exists in thefirst groove G1, the support film 300 can be prevented from being peeledoff of the display panel 100 when the display panel 100 is repeatedlybent or folded. Also, since the polymer layer 500 can provide arestoring force to the display panel 100, reliability of the displaydevice 1 can be improved.

The flexible PCB FPC may be connected to the display panel 100. In someexemplary embodiments, the flexible PCB FPC may be connected to thenon-display area NDA of the display panel 100, e.g., may be connected tothe second non-display area NDA2.

In some exemplary embodiments, a driver integrated chip (or circuit) ICmay be mounted on the flexible PCB FPC. The driver integrated chip ICprovides driving signals to the display panel 100. In some exemplaryembodiments, driver integrated chip IC may include at least one of adata driver applying data signals to data lines, a gate driver applyinggate signals to gate lines, and a signal controller controllingoperations of the data driver and the gate driver. In some exemplaryembodiments, the driver integrated chip IC may be mounted on theflexible PCB FPC in a chip-on-film (COF) fashion. In some exemplaryembodiments, the driver integrated chip IC may be mounted in thenon-display area NDA of the display panel 100. The flexible PCB FPC maybe implemented as a flexible wiring board.

A main PCB MP may be electrically connected to the display panel 100 viathe flexible PCB FPC and may transmit signals to, or receive signalsfrom, the driver integrated chip IC. The main PCB MP may provide imagedata, control signals, and a power supply voltage to the display panel100 or the flexible PCB FPC. The main PCB MP may include active elementsand passive elements.

The display device 1 will hereinafter be described in more detail withreference to FIGS. 5 through 10.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along sectional line X1-X1′ ofFIG. 2 according to some exemplary embodiments. FIG. 6 is an enlargedcross-sectional view of a portion Q1 of FIG. 5 according to someexemplary embodiments. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a pixelstructure of a display panel of the display device of FIG. 1 accordingto some exemplary embodiments. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a portionQ3 of FIG. 5 according to some exemplary embodiments. FIG. 9 is anenlarged cross-sectional view of the portion Q3 of FIG. 5 according tosome exemplary embodiments. FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional viewof a portion Q5 of FIG. 5 according to some exemplary embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 5 through 10, the display panel 100 of the displaydevice 1 may include a base substrate 110, a driving layer 120, anorganic light-emitting element layer 130, and an encapsulation layer140. The base substrate 110 provides a bottom surface 101 of the displaypanel 100. The base substrate 110 may be a flexible substrate and mayinclude a plastic material with relatively excellent heat resistance anddurability, such as polyethylene ether phthalate, PEN, PC, polyarylate,polyether imide, PES, or PI. For convenience, it is assumed that thebase substrate 110 includes PI.

The driving layer 120 may include elements for providing signals to theorganic light-emitting element layer 130. The driving layer 120 mayinclude various signal lines, for example, scan lines (not illustrated),data lines (not illustrated), power lines (not illustrated), andemission lines (not illustrated). The driving layer 120 may include aplurality of transistors and a plurality of capacitors. The transistorsmay include a switching transistor (not illustrated) and a drivingtransistor Qd. Each pixel (not shown) of the display panel 100 mayinclude a corresponding switching transistor and a corresponding drivingtransistor Qd.

FIG. 7 illustrates the driving transistor Qd of the driving layer 120.The driving transistor Qd includes an active layer 211, a gate electrode213, a source electrode 215, and a drain electrode 217.

The active layer 211 may be disposed on the base substrate 110. Thedriving layer 120 may further include a first insulating film 221disposed between the active layer 211 and the gate electrode 213. Thefirst insulating film 221 may insulate the active layer 211 and the gateelectrode 213 from each other. The source electrode 215 and the drainelectrode 217 may overlap respective portions of the gate electrode 213.The driving layer 120 may further include a second insulating film 223disposed between the gate electrode 213 and the source electrode 215 andbetween the gate electrode 213 and the drain electrode 217. The sourceelectrode 215 and the drain electrode 217 may be connected to the activelayer 211 via contact holes CH1 and CH2, respectively, that are formedin the first and second insulating films 221 and 223.

The driving layer 120 may further include a passivation film 230disposed on the source electrode 215 and the drain electrode 217.

Although not specifically illustrated in FIG. 7, the switchingtransistor may have substantially the same structure as, or a similarstructure to, the driving transistor Qd, but exemplary embodiments arenot limited thereto. That is, alternatively, the switching transistorand the driving transistor Qd may have different structures. Forexample, an active layer of the switching transistor and the activelayer 211 of the driving transistor Qd may be placed on differentlayers.

In some exemplary embodiments, the driving layer 120 may be disposed notonly in the display area DA, but also in the non-display area NDA. Partsof the driving layer 120 disposed in the first non-display area NDA1,the second area A2, and the second non-display area NDA2 may includewires and/or pad portions electrically connected to the flexible PCBFPC.

The organic light-emitting element layer 130 may include an organiclight-emitting element LD, which is an emissive element. The organiclight-emitting element LD may be of a top emission-type and may emitlight in an upward direction, i.e., in the Z-axis direction.

The organic light-emitting element LD may include a first electrode AE,an organic layer OL, and a second electrode CE.

The first electrode AE is disposed on the passivation film 230. Thefirst electrode AE is connected to the drain electrode 217 via a contacthole CH3, which is formed in the passivation film 230. The firstelectrode AE may be a pixel electrode or an anode. The first electrodeAE may be a transflective electrode or a reflective electrode. In a casewhere the first electrode AE is a transflective or reflective electrode,the first electrode AE may include at least one of silver (Ag),magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), gold (Au),nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd), iridium (Ir), and chromium (Cr), and analloy of at least one of these materials.

The first electrode AE may have a single- or multi-layer structureformed of a metal oxide or a metal. For example, the first electrode AEmay have a single-layer structure including indium tin oxide (ITO), Ag,or a mixture of metals (e.g., a mixture of Ag and Mg), a double-layerstructure including ITO/Mg or ITO/MgF, or a triple-layer structureincluding ITO/Ag/ITO, but exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto.

The organic layer OL may include an organic emission layer (EML) formedof a low-molecular organic material or a polymer organic material. Theorganic EML may emit light based on a voltage difference between thefirst electrode AE and the second electrode CE. Although not shown, theorganic layer OL may further include at least one of a hole transportlayer (HTL), a hole injection layer (HIL), an electron transport layer(ETL), and an electron injection layer (EIL). Accordingly, holes fromthe first electrode AE and electrons from the second electrode CE may beinjected into the organic layer OL. The holes and the electrons may becombined to generate excitons in the organic EML, and as the excitonsfall from the excited state to the ground state, light may be emitted.

The second electrode CE may be disposed on the organic layer OL. Thesecond electrode CE may be a common electrode or a cathode. The secondelectrode CE may be a transmissive or transflective electrode. In a casewhere the second electrode CE is a transmissive or transflectiveelectrode, the second electrode CE may include at least one of Li, Liq,Ca, LiF/Ca, LiF/Al, Al, Mg, BaF, Ba, and Ag, or a compound or mixture ofat least one of these materials, e.g., a mixture of Ag and Mg.

Although not shown, the second electrode CE may include an auxiliaryelectrode. The auxiliary electrode may include a film formed bydepositing at least one of Li, Liq, Ca, LiF/Ca, LiF/Al, Al, Mg, BaF, Ba,and Ag, or a compound or mixture of at least one of these materials toface the organic emission layer EML and an oxide of a transparent metal(such as at least one of ITO, indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO),and indium tin zinc oxide (ITZO)) formed on the film, or may include atleast one of molybdenum (Mo), titanium (Ti), and Ag.

The organic light-emitting element layer 130 may further include apixel-defining film PDL disposed on the passivation film 230. Thepixel-defining film PDL may overlap with the boundaries of a pixelregion PA in a plan view.

In some exemplary embodiments, the organic light-emitting element LD ofthe organic light-emitting element layer 130 may be disposed in thedisplay area DA, but not in the non-display area NDA. For convenience,it is assumed that the organic light-emitting element layer 130 is notdisposed in the non-display area NDA.

The encapsulation layer 140 may be disposed on the organiclight-emitting element layer 130. The encapsulation layer 140 canprotect the organic light-emitting element layer 130 against (or from)external moisture and air.

In some exemplary embodiments, the encapsulation layer 140 may be formedas a thin-film encapsulation layer and may include at least one organicfilm and at least one inorganic film. For example, the encapsulationlayer 140 may include a first inorganic film 141 disposed on the secondelectrode CE, an organic film 145 disposed on the first inorganic film141, and a second inorganic film 143 disposed on the organic film 145.

The first inorganic film 141 may be disposed on the organiclight-emitting element LD and can prevent the penetration of moistureand air (e.g., oxygen) into the organic light-emitting element LD. Insome exemplary embodiments, the first inorganic film 141 may include aninorganic material. Examples of the inorganic material include at leastone selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide (SiOx), siliconnitride (SiNx), and silicon oxynitride (SiONx).

The organic film 145 may be disposed on the first inorganic film 141.The organic film 145 may improve flatness. The organic film 145 mayinclude an organic material. Examples of the organic material include atleast one selected from the group consisting of epoxy, acrylate, andurethane acrylate.

The second inorganic film 143 may be disposed on the organic film 145.The second inorganic film 143 may perform substantially the samefunctions as, or similar functions to, the first inorganic film 141, andmay include substantially the same material as, or a similar materialto, the first inorganic film 141. The second inorganic film 143 maycompletely cover the organic film 145. In some exemplary embodiments,the second inorganic film 143 and the first inorganic film 141 may be incontact with each other outside the display area DA and may, thus, forman inorganic-inorganic junction, in which case, the penetration ofmoisture and the like into the display device 1 from outside the displaydevice 1 can be effectively prevented.

Although FIG. 7 illustrates the first inorganic film 141, the organicfilm 145, and the second inorganic film 143 as being single-layer films,exemplary embodiments are not limited thereto. For instance, at leastone of the first inorganic film 141, the organic film 145, and thesecond inorganic film 143 may be formed as a multilayer film.

In a case where at least one of the first and second inorganic films 141and 143 is formed as a multilayer film, at least one layer that formseach of the first and second inorganic films 141 and 143 may be ahexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) layer. In this case, since an HMDSO layercan absorb stress, the encapsulation layer 140 can become more flexible.In another example, the organic film 145 may be replaced with an HMDSOlayer.

The encapsulation layer 140 may not completely cover the non-displayarea NDA of the display panel 100. For example, the encapsulation layer140 may not be disposed in the first non-display area NDA1, the secondarea A2, and the second non-display area NDA2. As another example, theencapsulation layer 140 may be disposed in the first non-display areaNDA1, but not in the second area A2 and the second non-display areaNDA2. For convenience, it is assumed that the encapsulation layer 140 isdisposed in the display area DA, but not in the first non-display areaNDA1, the second area A2, and the second non-display area NDA2.

As described above, the resin layer 400 is disposed on the bottomsurface 101 of the display panel 100, and the support film 300 isdisposed below the resin layer 400. The first and second grooves G1 andG2 that respectively overlap with the first and second areas A1 and A2of the display panel 100 may be defined in the resin layer 400 and thesupport film 300. The support film 300 may include the first, second,and third film portions 310, 330, and 350. The first and second filmportions 310 and 330 may be separated by the first groove G1, and thesecond and third film portions 330 and the 350 may be separated by thesecond groove G2.

In some exemplary embodiments, the resin layer 400 may include innersides 401, which define the first groove G1, and inner sides 402, whichdefine the second groove G2.

The first film portion 310 may include an inner side 313 near the firstgroove G1, a top surface 311 facing the resin layer 400, and a bottomsurface 315 opposite to the top surface 311.

The second film portion 330 may include an inner side 333 near the firstgroove G1, an inner side 337 near the second groove G2, a top surface331 facing the resin layer 400, and a bottom surface 335 opposite to thetop surface 331.

The third film portion 350 may include an inner side 353 near the secondgroove G2, a top surface 351 facing the resin layer 400, and a bottomsurface 355 opposite to the top surface 351.

The first groove G1 may be defined by the inner sides 401 of the resinlayer 400, the inner side 313 of the first film portion 310, and theinner side 333 of the second film portion 330. The second groove G2 maybe defined by the inner sides 402 of the resin layer 400, the inner side337 of the second film portion 330, and the inner side 353 of the thirdfilm portion 350.

In some exemplary embodiments, since the first groove G1 is formed byapplying laser light, an angle θ1 formed by the top surface 311 and theinner side 313 of the first film portion 310 may be an acute angle, andan angle θ2 formed by the top surface 331 and the inner side 333 of thesecond film portion 330 may also be an acute angle.

Thus, in some exemplary embodiments, a width Wg, in the second directionY, of the first groove G1 may gradually decrease with decreasingdistance to (or from) the display panel 100. Also, in some exemplaryembodiments, the distance, in the second direction Y, between the topsurface 311 of the first film portion 310 and the top surface 331 of thesecond film portion 330 may be smaller than the distance, in the seconddirection Y, between the bottom surface 315 of the first film portion310 and the bottom surface 335 of the second film portion 330.

An angle θ3 formed by the top surface 331 and the inner side 337 of thesecond film portion 330 may be an acute angle, and an angle θ4 formed bythe top surface 351 and the inner side 353 of the third film portion 350may also be an acute angle. Thus, the width, in the second direction Y,of the second groove G2, like the width Wg, in the second direction Y,of the first groove G1, may gradually decrease with decreasing distanceto the display panel 100. Also, in some exemplary embodiments, thedistance, in the second direction Y, between the top surface 351 of thethird film portion 350 and the top surface 331 of the second filmportion 330 may be smaller than the distance, in the second direction Y,between the bottom surface 355 of the third film portion 350 and thebottom surface 335 of the second film portion 330.

In some exemplary embodiments, burr patterns BUR may be formed on thebottom surfaces 315 and 335 of the first and second film portions 310and 330 around the first groove G1. Also, burr patterns BUR may beformed on the bottom surfaces 335 and 355 of the second and third filmportions 330 and 350 around the second groove G2. The burr patterns BURmay be formed by parts of the support film 300 being melted by thermalenergy of laser light applied during the formation of the first andsecond grooves G1 and G2.

The burr patterns BUR may be formed together with the first and secondgrooves G1 and G2. Thus, in some exemplary embodiments, the burrpatterns BUR may extend in the same direction as the first and secondgrooves G1 and G2, e.g., in the first direction X.

The polymer layer 500 may be disposed in the first groove G1. In someexemplary embodiments, the polymer layer 500 may fill the first grooveG1. For example, the polymer layer 500 may be formed by applying apolymer in the form of a solution or a paste on the inside of the firstgroove G1 and drying the polymer.

The polymer layer 500 may be in contact with the inner sides 401 of theresin layer 400, and may also be in contact with the inner sides 313 and333 of the first and second film portions 310 and 330. In a case wherethe bottom surface 101 of the display panel 100 is exposed through thefirst groove G1, the polymer layer 500 may also be in contact with thebottom surface 101 of the display panel 100 or the bottom surface 101 ofthe base substrate 110 of the display panel 100.

In some exemplary embodiments, the polymer used to form the polymerlayer 500 may spill out of the first groove G1, and as a result, thepolymer layer 500 may also be formed on the outside of the first grooveG1. Accordingly, the polymer layer 500 may be partially in contact withthe burr patterns BUR and may also be in contact with at least one ofthe bottom surfaces 315 and 335 of the first and second film portions310 and 330.

The polymer layer 500 can prevent the first and second film portions 310and 330 from being peeled off of the display panel 100 when the displaypanel 100 is bent or folded in the first area A1. Also, the polymerlayer 500 can provide an elastic restoring force to the display panel100 when the display panel 100 is returning to its original state afterbeing bent or folded.

As described above, the width Wg, in the second direction Y, of thefirst groove G1 may gradually decrease with decreasing distance to thedisplay panel 100. Thus, the width, in the second direction Y, of thepolymer layer 500, which fills the first groove G1, may also graduallydecrease with decreasing distance to the display panel 100 along thethickness direction (e.g., the Z direction) of the polymer layer 500.

The support film 300 and the polymer layer 500 may form a support filmstructure FS for the display device 1 that is disposed below the displaypanel 100. The support film structure FS includes the polymer layer 500,which overlaps with the first area A1 where the display panel 100 can berepeatedly folded or bent, and the support film 300, in which the firstand second grooves G1 and G2 are defined. The support film 300 canprotect and support the display panel 100, and the second groove G2 cancontribute to bending the display panel 100 in the non-display area NDA.The polymer layer 500 can contribute to improving the reliability of thedisplay device 1 against repeated folding or bending of the displaypanel 100. That is, the support film structure FS can contribute torealizing a display device 1 with an improved reliability and a reducedbezel width.

A neutral plane adjustment layer BPL may be disposed in the non-displayarea NDA of the display panel 100. The neutral plane adjustment layerBPL may be disposed to overlap with the second area A2 of thenon-display area NDA. In some exemplary embodiments, parts of theneutral plane adjustment layer BPL may be disposed in the first andsecond non-display areas NDA1 and NDA2.

The neutral plane adjustment layer BPL can prevent cracks in wires (notshown) in the driving layer 120 by alleviating stress applied to thedriving layer 120 in the second area A2 where the display panel 100 isbent. For example, the driving layer 120 may include wires passingthrough the first non-display area NDA1, the second area A2, and thesecond non-display area NDA2, and the elements in the driving layer 120may be electrically connected to the flexible PCB FPC and driverintegrated chip IC via the wires. The neutral plane adjustment layer BPLadjusts the position of a neutral plane such that tensile stress is notapplied to the wires in the second area A2. The neutral plane refers toa plane where neither compressive stress nor tensile stress is appliedwhen the display panel 100 is bent or folded in the second area A2. Forexample, when the display panel 100 is bent in the second area A2,compressive stress acts on the inside of the curvature of the bentdisplay panel 100, and tensile stress acts on the outside of thecurvature of the bent display panel 100. Thus, the direction of stressgradually changes from the compression direction to the tensiledirection along the direction from the inside to the outside of thecurvature of the bent display panel 100, and there exists a point (orplane) where neither compressive stress nor tensile stress acts. Thispoint becomes the neutral plane. By adjusting the position of theneutral plane with the neutral plane adjustment layer BPL, compressivestress can be applied to the wires in the driving layer 120, and as aresult, the risk of cracks in the driving layer 120 can be reduced.

In some exemplary embodiments, the neutral plane adjustment layer BPLmay include an organic material, and the organic material may be, forexample, a photosensitive organic material. For example, the neutralplane adjustment layer BPL may include an acrylic material.

In some exemplary embodiments, the neutral plane adjustment layer BPLmay be in contact with the flexible PCB FPC and may cover a part of theflexible PCB FPC connected to the second non-display area NDA2.Accordingly, the flexible PCB FPC can be prevented from being separatedfrom the second non-display area NDA2, and reliability of the displaydevice 1 can be improved.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the display device of FIG. 5 in astate of being bent, particularly, in a non-display area according tosome exemplary embodiments. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of thedisplay device of FIG. 5 in a state of being bent, particularly, in adisplay area and the non-display area according to some exemplaryembodiments. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the display device ofFIG. 5 in a state of being bent, particularly, in the display area andthe non-display area according to some exemplary embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 11 through 13, the display panel 100 of the displaydevice 1 may be bent, in the second area A2, in the downward directionalong the bending axis BX2 (see FIG. 1), which extends in the firstdirection X. Since the second groove G2, which overlaps with the secondarea A2, is defined in the support film 300, the display panel 100 canbe easily bent.

Since the display panel 100 is bent in a part of the non-display areaNDA, the non-display area NDA of the display device 1 as viewed from theoutside can be reduced, and the bezel width of the display device 1 canbe reduced. Also, since the neutral plane adjustment layer BPL, whichoverlaps with the second area A2, is disposed in the second area A2, thewires in the second area A2 of the display panel 100 can be preventedfrom cracking, and reliability of the display device 1 can be improved.

The display panel 100 may be folded or bent, in the first area A1, alongthe bending axis BX1 (see FIG. 1), which extends in the first directionX. In some exemplary embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the displaypanel 100 may be folded in the upward direction faced by the displaysurface thereof. In some exemplary embodiments, as illustrated in FIG.13, the display panel 100 may be bent in an opposite direction of thedisplay surface, e.g., in the downward direction. That is, the displaydevice 1 may be implemented as an inside folding-type foldable displaydevice and/or an outside folding-type foldable display device.

Since the first groove G1, which overlaps with the first area A1, isdefined in at least the support film 300, the display panel 100 can beeasily folded or bent. Also, since the polymer layer 500 is disposed inthe first groove G1, reliability of the display device 1 can bemaintained even when the display panel 100 is repeatedly folded or bent.

FIG. 14A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of a displaydevice corresponding to the portion Q3 of FIG. 5 according to someexemplary embodiments. FIG. 14B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of aportion of the display device of FIG. 14A corresponding to the portionQ5 of FIG. 5 according to some exemplary embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 14A and 14B, a display device 2 is substantially thesame as the display device 1, except that the display device 2 furtherincludes a carbide CM. Thus, the display device 2 will hereinafter bedescribed, focusing mainly on the difference with the display device 1.

The carbide CM may be disposed in a first groove G1 of a support film300. The carbide CM may overlap with a first area A1, may be disposedbetween a bottom surface 101 of a display panel 100 and a polymer 500,and may be in contact with the polymer layer 500 and the bottom surface101 of the display panel 100.

As described above, the first groove G1 may be formed by applying laserlight to the support film 300. A base substrate 110 of the display panel100 may be formed of a polymer material having flexibility. Accordingly,the base substrate 110 of the display panel 100 or a resin layer 400 maybe partially carbonized, and as a result, the carbide CM may remain onthe bottom surface 101 of the display panel 100.

Similarly, the carbide CM may also be disposed in a second groove G2,e.g., may be disposed on the bottom surface 101 of the display panel100.

As described above, since the carbide CM may be formed in the process offorming the first and second grooves G1 and G2, the carbide CM may notexist on the bottom surface 101 of the display panel 100 outside thefirst area A1 and a second area A2. Since the carbide CM exists in thefirst and second areas A1 and A2, light transmittance of the basesubstrate 110 of the display panel 100 may vary from area to area. Forexample, the light transmittance of the base substrate 110 may be lowerin the first and second areas A1 and A2 than in other areas.Alternatively, although not specifically illustrated, the carbide CM mayexist in the first groove G1, but not in the second groove G2. Stillalternatively, the carbide CM may not exist in the first groove G1 andmay only exist in the second groove G2.

FIG. 15A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a modified example ofFIG. 14A, and FIG. 15B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a modifiedexample of FIG. 14B.

Referring to FIGS. 15A and 15B, a display device 2 a may have a resinlayer 400 unremoved from first and second areas A1 and A2 thereof. Thatis, a first portion 400 a 1, which is a part of the resin layer 400 thatis not removed, but remains, may be disposed in the first area A1, and asecond portion 400 a 2, which is another part of the resin layer 400that is not removed, but remains, may be disposed in the second area A2.

In some exemplary embodiments, a thickness Ta1 of the first portion 400a 1 may be substantially the same as a thickness Td of a part of theresin layer 400 disposed in an entire display area DA excluding thefirst area A1.

In some exemplary embodiments, in a first groove G1, a polymer layer 500may be in direct contact with a surface (e.g., a bottom surface) of thefirst portion 400 a 1 exposed by the first groove G1.

The first portion 400 a 1, which is a part of the resin layer 400 thatremains in the first area A1, may not expose, but may completely cover,a bottom surface 101 of a display panel 110, but the present disclosureis not limited thereto. Alternatively, the bottom surface 101 of thedisplay panel 110 may be partially exposed in the first area A1, ratherthan being completely covered by the first portion 400 a 1.

In some exemplary embodiments, a thickness Ta2 of the second portion 400a 2, which is a part of the resin layer 400 that is not removed, may besubstantially the same as a thickness Tnd of a part of the resin layer400 disposed in the entire non-display area NDA excluding the secondarea A2.

FIG. 15C is an enlarged cross-sectional view of another modified exampleof FIG. 14A, and FIG. 15D is an enlarged cross-sectional view of amodified example of FIG. 14B.

Referring to FIGS. 15C and 15D, a display device 2 b may have a resinlayer 400 unremoved from first and second areas A1 and A2 thereof.

In some exemplary embodiments, a first portion 400 b 1, which is a partof the resin layer 400 that remains, may be disposed in the first areaA1. In some embodiments, a thickness Tb1 of the first portion 400 b 1may be smaller than a thickness Td of a part of the resin layer 400disposed in an entire display area DA excluding the first area A1.

In some exemplary embodiments, in a first groove G1, a polymer layer 500may be in direct contact with the sides of the resin layer 400 and thetop surface of the first portion 400 b 1.

The first portion 400 b 1 may not expose, but may completely cover, abottom surface 101 of a display panel 110, but the present disclosure isnot limited thereto. Alternatively, the bottom surface 101 of thedisplay panel 110 may be partially exposed in the first area A1, ratherthan being completely covered by the first portion 400 b 1.

In some exemplary embodiments, a second portion 400 b 2, which isanother part of the resin layer 400 that remains, may be disposed in thesecond area A2. In some embodiments, a thickness Tb2 of the secondportion 400 b 2 may be smaller than a thickness Tnd of a part of theresin layer 400 disposed in an entire non-display area NDA excluding thesecond area A2.

FIG. 15E is an enlarged cross-sectional view of another modified exampleof FIG. 14A, and FIG. 15F is an enlarged cross-sectional view of anothermodified example of FIG. 14B.

Referring to FIGS. 15E and 15F, a display device 2 c may have a resinlayer 400 unremoved from first and second areas A1 and A2.

In some exemplary embodiments, first remaining patterns 400 c 1, whichare remains of the resin layer 400, may be disposed in the first areaA1. The first remaining patterns 400 c 1 may not completely cover, butmay partially expose, a bottom surface 101 of a display panel 110.

In some exemplary embodiments, in a first groove G1, a polymer layer 400may be in direct contact with the first remaining patterns 400 c 1.

In some exemplary embodiments, second remaining patterns 400 c 2, whichare also remains of the resin layer 400, may be disposed in the secondarea A2. The second remaining patterns 400 c 2 may not completely cover,but may partially expose, the bottom surface 101 of the display panel110.

FIGS. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 are enlarged cross-sectional views ofportions of display devices corresponding to the portion Q3 of FIG. 5according to some exemplary embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 16, a display device 3 is substantially the same asthe display device 1, except for the structure of a support filmstructure F S1 of the display device 3. Thus, the display device 3 will,hereinafter, be described, focusing mainly on the difference with thedisplay device 1.

The support film structure FS1 may include a support film 300 and apolymer layer 501.

The polymer layer 501 may be formed as an adhesive tape and may beattached on a part of a bottom surface 101 of a display panel 100exposed through a first groove G1.

In some exemplary embodiments, the polymer layer 501 may be in contactwith the bottom surface 101 of the display panel 100 and may be spacedapart from at least one of the inner sides 401 of a resin layer 400, aninner side 313 of a first film portion 310, and an inner side 333 of asecond film portion 330. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 16, thepolymer layer 501 may be in contact with the bottom surface 101 of thedisplay panel 100 and may be spaced apart from all the inner sides 401of the resin layer 400, the inner side 313 of the first film portion310, and the inner side 333 of the second film portion 330.

Referring to FIG. 17, a display device 4 is substantially the same asthe display device 3, except that a carbide CM is further disposedbetween, and in contact with, a polymer layer 501 of a support filmstructure FS1 for the display device 4 and a bottom surface 101 of adisplay panel 100. Thus, a detailed description of the display device 4will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 18, a display device 5 is substantially the same asthe display device 3, except that a support film structure FS2 for thedisplay device 5 includes a support film 300 and a polymer layer 502formed as an adhesive tape. The polymer layer 502 is not only in contactwith a bottom surface 101 of a display panel 100, but also in contactwith inner sides 401 of a resin layer 400, an inner side 313 of a firstfilm portion 310, and an inner side 333 of a second film portion 330.Thus, a detailed description of the display device 5 will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 19, a display device 6 is substantially the same asthe display device 5, except that a carbide CM is further disposedbetween, and in contact with, a polymer layer 502 and a bottom surface101 of a display panel 100. Thus, a detailed description of the displaydevice 6 will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 20, a display device 7 is substantially the same asthe display device 5, except that a support film structure FS3 for thedisplay device 7 includes a support film 300 and a polymer layer 503formed as an adhesive tape. The polymer layer 503 is not only in contactwith a bottom surface 101 of a display panel 100, inner sides 401 of aresin layer 400, an inner side 313 of a first film portion 310, and aninner side 333 of a second film portion 330, but also in contact withburr patterns BUR, a bottom surface 315 of the first film portion 310,and a bottom surface 335 of the second film portion 330. Thus, adetailed description of the display device 7 will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 21, a display device 8 is substantially the same asthe display device 7, except that a carbide CM is further disposedbetween, and in contact with, a polymer layer 503 and a bottom surface101 of a display panel 100. Thus, a detailed description of the displaydevice 8 will be omitted.

The structure of each of the display devices 3 through 8 of FIGS. 16through 21 in the second area A2 may be substantially the same as thatillustrated in FIG. 10, 14B, 15B, 15D, or 15F.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a mother board for a display deviceaccording to some exemplary embodiments. FIG. 23 is a rear view of themother board of FIG. 22 according to some exemplary embodiments. FIGS.24, 25, 26, and 27 are cross-sectional views taken along sectional lineX3-X3′ of FIG. 23 and illustrate a display device at various stages ofmanufacture according to some exemplary embodiments.

A method of fabricating a display device according to some exemplaryembodiments will, hereinafter, be described with reference to FIGS. 22through 27.

Referring to FIGS. 22 and 23, a mother board 2000 is formed, a resinlayer 4000 is formed on the bottom surface of the mother board 2000, anda mother board structure MS is fabricated by coupling a support film3000, which is yet to be cut into individual support films, and theresin layer 4000.

The mother board 2000 may include a plurality of display cells 1000 anda dummy area DD. The display cells 1000 may share the same board and maybecome individual display panels 100 later by being separated from themother board 2000. That is, the cross-sectional stack structure of thedisplay cells 1000 may be the same as the cross-sectional stackstructure of the display panel 100 of FIG. 6 or 7. Each of the displaycells 1000 may include first and second areas A1 and A2.

The dummy area DD may be disposed between the display cells 1000. Thedummy area DD may be disposed near the display cells 1000 and maysurround the display cells 1000. The dummy area DD may be an elementthat is removed, e.g., completely removed.

Thereafter, referring to FIG. 24, laser light L1 is applied from belowthe support film 3000. The laser light L1 may be selectively applied toparts of the support film 3000 corresponding to the first and secondareas A1 and A2 of each of the display cells 1000. In some exemplaryembodiments, the laser light L1 may be ultraviolet (UV) laser light.

When the laser light L1 is applied, adhesion between the mother board2000 and the resin layer 4000 may weaken in the first and second areasA1 and A2 of each of the display cells 1000. For instance, when thelaser light L1 is applied to the first and second areas A1 and A2 ofeach of the display cells 1000, a carbide layer CMA may be formed on thebottom surface of the mother board 2000, the base substrate of themother board 2000 may swell, or a carbide layer CMA may be formed in afirst portion 4010 of the resin layer 4000 corresponding to the firstarea A1 and/or the second area A2 of each of the display cells 1000, andas a result, the adhesion between the first portion 4010 and the motherboard 2000 may weaken. Although not specifically illustrated, the laserlight L1 may be applied to parts of the dummy area DD where the extendedlines of the first and second areas A1 and A2 of each of the displaycells 1000 lie.

Thereafter, referring to FIG. 25, the resin layer 4000 and the supportfilm 3000 may be cut by applying laser light L2 along the boundaries ofeach of the first and second areas A1 and A2 of each of the displaycells 1000 from below the support film 3000. In this manner, a resinlayer 4001 and a support film 3001 of a mother board structure MS1 maybe formed. In some exemplary embodiments, the laser light L2 may becarbon dioxide (CO₂) laser light with a relatively high energyefficiency.

In the process of applying the laser light L2, burr patterns BUR may beformed on the bottom surface of the support film 3001. The burr patternsBUR may be formed along the boundaries of each of the first and secondareas A1 and A2 of each of the display cells 1000. The burr patterns BURmay be formed by parts of the support film 3001 being melted by thethermal energy of the laser light L2. Although not specificallyillustrated, the laser light L2 may also be applied to the boundaries ofparts of the dummy area DD that lie on the extended lines of the firstand second areas A1 and A2 of each of the display cells 1000.

Thereafter, referring to FIG. 26, first grooves G1 and second grooves G2are formed by removing parts of the support film 3001 that overlap withthe first and second areas A1 and A2 of each of the display cells 1000.In this manner, a resin layer 4002 and a support film 3002 of a motherboard structure MS2 may be formed. In some exemplary embodiments, thecarbide layer CMA may partially remain unremoved, and thus, may bedisposed in the first grooves G1 and the second grooves G2 as carbideCM. Although not specifically illustrated, parts of each of the resinlayer 4002 and the support film 3002 corresponding to the parts of thedummy area DD that lie on the extended lines of the first and secondareas A1 and A2 of each of the display cells 1000 may also be removed.

Thereafter, referring to FIG. 27, the display cells 1000 are separatedby removing a part of the mother substrate structure MS2 correspondingto the dummy area DD. Each of the display cells 1000 may include adisplay panel 100, a resin layer 400, and a support film 300. Each ofthe display cells 1000 may further include a carbide CM. The supportfilm 300 may include first and second film portions 310 and 330separated by a first groove G1 of the support film 300, and a third filmportion 350 separated from the second film portion 330 by a secondgroove G2 of the support film 300.

Thereafter, a support film structure FS for a display device isfabricated by forming a polymer layer 500 in the first groove G1 of thesupport film 300. The polymer layer 500 may be formed by filling thefirst groove G1 of the support film 300 with a polymer in the form of asolution or a paste and drying the polymer. Alternatively, although notspecifically illustrated, the polymer layer 500 may be formed byattaching a polymer in the form of an adhesive tape on at least theinside of the first groove G1 of the support film 300. Stillalternatively, the polymer layer 500 may be formed before the separationof the display cells 1000. That is, the polymer layer 500 may be formedin the first grooves G1 of the support film 3002, and then the displaycells 1000 may be separated.

Thereafter, a flexible PCB FPC may be coupled to the display panel 100,and a neutral plane adjustment layer BPL may be formed to overlap with asecond area A2 of the display panel 100, thereby forming the displaydevice 1 of FIG. 1.

Thereafter, the display panel 100 may be bent, for instance, in adownward direction in the second area A2, thereby forming the displaydevice 1 of FIG. 11.

As described in association with FIGS. 22 through 27, first grooves G1and second grooves G2 are formed at the same time in the mothersubstrate structure MS2, and then, the display cells 1000 are separated.As such, fabrication of a display device can be simplified, butexemplary embodiments are not limited to simultaneous formation of thefirst and second grooves G1 and G2. Also, since the polymer layer 500can be easily formed by applying a polymer solution, or attaching apolymer adhesive tape, on the inside of the first grooves G1, thefabrication of a display device can be further simplified. Althoughvarious effects of various exemplary embodiments have been described,the various effects are not limited by the foregoing, and other effectsare anticipated.

Although certain exemplary embodiments and implementations have beendescribed herein, other embodiments and modifications will be apparentfrom this description. Accordingly, the inventive concepts are notlimited to such embodiments, but rather to the broader scope of theaccompanying claims and various obvious modifications and equivalentarrangements as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display device comprising: a display panelcomprising: a display area comprising a first area that is bendable; anda non-display area adjacent to the display area; a resin layer disposedon a bottom surface of the display panel; a support film coupled to thebottom surface of the display panel via the resin layer, the supportfilm and the resin layer comprising a first groove overlapping with thefirst area; and a polymer layer disposed in the first groove, thepolymer layer comprising a material with higher flexibility than thesupport film, wherein angles formed by a top surface of the support filmand inner sides of the support film defining the first groove are acuteangles.
 2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the polymer layerfills the first groove and is in contact with the inner sides of thesupport film.
 3. The display device of claim 2, wherein the polymerlayer is further in contact with inner sides of the resin layer definingthe first groove.
 4. The display device of claim 2, wherein: a portionof the bottom surface of the display panel is exposed by the firstgroove; and in the first groove, the polymer layer is further in contactwith the portion of the bottom surface of the display panel.
 5. Thedisplay device of claim 4, wherein: the display panel comprises: a basesubstrate having flexibility, the base substrate comprising a bottomsurface providing the bottom surface of the display panel, a drivinglayer disposed on the base substrate, an organic light-emitting elementdisposed on the driving layer, and a thin-film encapsulation layercovering the organic light-emitting element; and in the first groove,the polymer layer is in contact with a portion of the bottom surface ofthe base substrate.
 6. The display device of claim 1, wherein thepolymer layer is further in contact with a bottom surface of the supportfilm.
 7. The display device of claim 1, wherein the polymer layer isformed as an adhesive tape.
 8. The display device of claim 1, furthercomprising: a carbide disposed between the bottom surface of the displaypanel and the polymer layer.
 9. The display device of claim 8, whereinthe carbide is in contact with the bottom surface of the display paneland the polymer layer.
 10. The display device of claim 1, wherein: thesupport film comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET); and the polymerlayer comprises polyimide (PI).
 11. The display device of claim 1,wherein a width of the first groove gradually increases with increasingdistance from the display panel in a thickness direction.
 12. Thedisplay device of claim 1, further comprising: burr patterns disposednear the first groove and formed on a bottom surface of the supportfilm, wherein the burr patterns are in contact with the polymer layer.13. The display device of claim 12, wherein the burr patterns and thepolymer layer extend in the same direction.
 14. The display device ofclaim 1, wherein: the non-display area comprises a second area that isbendable; and the support film further comprises a second grooveoverlapping with the second area and extending in a same direction asthe first groove.
 15. The display device of claim 14, furthercomprising: a carbide disposed on a portion of the bottom surface of thedisplay panel exposed by the second groove.
 16. The display device ofclaim 14, further comprising: burr patterns disposed near the secondgroove and formed on a bottom surface of the support film.
 17. Thedisplay device of claim 14, further comprising: a neutral planeadjustment layer overlapping with the second area and comprising anorganic material.
 18. The display device of claim 17, furthercomprising: a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) connected to thedisplay panel, wherein the non-display area further comprises: a firstnon-display area comprising a first side adjacent to the display area;and a second non-display area disposed on a second side of the firstnon-display area opposing the first side, the second area beinginterposed between the first non-display area and the second non-displayarea, and wherein, in the second non-display area, the flexible PCB isconnected to the display panel and is in contact with the neutral planeadjustment layer.
 19. A display device comprising: a display panelcomprising: a display area comprising a first area that extends in afirst direction, the first area being bendable; and a non-display areaadjacent to the display area; a polymer layer disposed below the displaypanel, coupled to the display panel, and overlapping with the firstarea; and a support film disposed below the display panel and coupled tothe display panel, the support film comprising first and second filmportions that are spaced apart from each other by a space in a seconddirection with the polymer layer interposed therebetween, the seconddirection intersecting the first direction, wherein: a width, in thesecond direction, of the polymer layer gradually increases withincreasing distance from the display panel along a thickness directioncrossing the first and second directions; and bottom surfaces of thefirst and second film portions comprise burr patterns protrudingtherefrom, the burr patterns being near the space.
 20. The displaydevice of claim 19, wherein the polymer layer comprises a material withhigher flexibility than the support film.
 21. The display device ofclaim 19, wherein the polymer layer is in contact with each of the firstand second film portions and the display panel.
 22. The display deviceof claim 19, wherein: a part of a bottom surface of the display panel isexposed between the first and second film portions; and the exposed partof the bottom surface of the display panel comprises a portion having afirst width in the second direction and a portion having a second widthin the second direction, the second width being different from the firstwidth.
 23. The display device of claim 19, further comprising: aflexible printed circuit board (PCB) connected to the display panel,wherein the non-display area comprises: a first non-display areaadjacent to the display area; a second non-display area more distantthan the first non-display area from the display area, the secondnon-display area being connected to the flexible PCB; and a second areadisposed between the first and second non-display areas, the second areabeing bendable, wherein the first film portion overlaps with a portionof the display area, and wherein the second film portion overlaps withrespective portions the display area and the first non-display area, thesecond film portion being spaced apart from the second area and thesecond non-display area when viewed in the thickness direction.
 24. Thedisplay device of claim 23, wherein the support film further comprises athird film portion spaced apart from the second film portion andoverlapping with the second non-display area, the third film portionbeing spaced apart from the second area when viewed in the thicknessdirection.
 25. A support film structure for a display device,comprising: a support film comprising: a first groove extending in afirst direction; and a second groove extending in the first directionand spaced apart from the first groove in a second direction crossingthe first direction; and a polymer layer disposed in the first groove,the polymer layer comprising a material with higher flexibility than thesupport film, wherein: the polymer layer comprises a portion having avariable width along a thickness direction crossing the first and seconddirections; and a bottom surface of the support film comprises burrpatterns protruding therefrom, the burr patterns being adjacent to thefirst and second grooves.
 26. The support film structure of claim 25,wherein the polymer layer is in contact with inner sides of the supportfilm defining the first groove.
 27. The support film structure of claim26, wherein the polymer layer is further in contact with a surface ofthe support film connected to the inner sides of the support film. 28.The support film structure of claim 25, wherein: the support filmcomprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and the polymer layercomprises polyimide (PI).